Early Morning Therapy
by magpies
Summary: 8 years after Sam left, Carly sees her. On a weekly basis, at her therapy sessions. Who'd have thought Sam would be the one helping Carly with her problems? CAM Carly/Sam in later chapters.


Her expression was the same as ever, yet so different from the 15 year old girl I remembered. Her raised eyebrow and lopsided smirk reminded me exactly why I didn't want to come to this and had, only a few minutes prior, nearly bolted for the door to only be greeted by her standing in the door way.

"So Ms. Shay, why do you think you need a therapist?"

Her expression had changed so quickly, and all amusement seemed to be replaced by genuine interest.

"Ms. Shay?"  
She grinned and shrugged, "I was told to refer to all patients formally unless they specify otherwise."

I nodded, "Carly will do fine."

She looked down with a smile at the notebook on her knees and then looked back up at me with a look of mild confusion, but more so of loss.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"I haven't talked to you in over 8 years and the first time we do talk is here in my work. It's kind of depressing... even more depressing that you may be depressed," she laughed the last bit.

I cracked a smile before nodding.

She took a deep breath in before looking back at the notebook and trailing her fingers over a sheet of paper with a lot of writing on it.

"So, you asked to see a therapist of your own accord? No one advised you? Made the appointment them self for you?"

I shook my head, "No. I did it all by myself."

"Okay, and-"

"So how've you been?"

She looked up from the paper with a raised eyebrow, "I've been fine but this isn't really about how _I've _been, is it?" She smirked before looking down once more. She didn't speak for some time until her eyebrows furrowed. "It says here you dropped out of university one term in?"

I shamefully looked out the window before nodding.

"Why did you drop you?"

I ground my teeth against my bottom lip and shrugged.

"Carly. I'm being paid whether you answer or not so it's fine for me, but you're paying whether you answer or not which isn't fine for you. Why did you drop out of school?"

Hearing Sam talk to me like that was somewhat surprising. She was never a push over, no, but she was always lenient towards me, never so blunt. It was then I realised she'd changed in more ways that looks. Here she was with a job, an actual, professional job with her own office. She wasn't careless, at least not during her work and she was... she just wasn't the Sam I knew. She looked different too. Her blonde curls were just past her shoulder, with as much shine as a movie star, and she wore make up. Sam Puckett with makeup on. Admittedly, she looked amazing, more than just amazing. She was beautiful, but I always knew that.

"Carly? Carlyyy?"

I snapped from my thoughts to see her leaning towards me with an amused smile. "Try and stay with me, yeah?"

I nodded dumbly as a light blush formed on my face.

"Why did you leave school Carly?"

I sighed. "It got hard. God, it used to be so easy for me to just go in and pass a test but then... then it just stopped being easy. I would miss deadlines and I would have work piled up on my desk and I knew... I knew it wouldn't get done. I just don't get it though. Everyone made such a big deal about me leaving school... but loads of people do it."

"Yes, but loads of people also stay in school _despite _the work."

"I'm allowed to be different, aren't I?" I snapped.

"Fair enough, but did you not consider seeking help within the school? Talking to your teachers, the guidance counsellor?"

"They wouldn't help."

Sam stayed looking at me for a few seconds before nodding. "What about your brother?"

"You know his name! Stop acting... acting like you don't know me!"

"Carly, are you sure you're not just PMSing?"

"Why did you leave?"

Sam furrowed her eyebrows. "I fail to see what this has to do with _your _therapy session?"

"Maybe it has everything to do with it," I glared intently at her.

She didn't respond at first, and I half expected her to not response at all, but she did.

"How? How could me leaving affect you in anyway?"

I didn't know if that was her asking in therapist mode, or Sam mode, but either way, I became angry. Pure anger and disbelief was all I felt.

"How? _How? _You were my best friend! For fucks sake Sam! Do you know how I felt? God, I sometimes wonder if you ever cared for me in the way I did for you! Do you remember what date you left Sam? January 14th. My birthday for Christ's sake. You couldn't put off your stupid and fucking selfish stunt could you? I went into school on my **birthday** and waited and waited for you."

Sam was speechless. She remained staring at me until she gathered herself.

"I'm sorry."

She said nothing more and neither did I.

"Our next session is next week, it's a morning appointment that day. We'll talk more then. About everything and anything you want to. But Carly, I'm your therapist. I can't just act like I know you because the whole point of this is for me to find out who you are, and why you are that person."

Taking that as my time to leave, I got up and headed for the door.

"I am sorry."


End file.
